CAST uses a disciplined, data-driven, focused approach to:
- Analyze safety data/information.
- Identify hazards and underlying contributing factors.
- Develop specific safety enhancements to address risk.
- Voluntarily implement cost-effective safety enhancements.
- Track implementation and continuously monitor the effectiveness of the safety mitigations.
- Use knowledge gained to continually improve the aviation system.
CAST charters joint Government-industry working groups for analysis of the systemic safety issues in commercial aviation. The groups leverage data from the FAA Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) system to understand the underlying contributing factors and develop mitigation strategies.
Senior-level safety officials from CAST organizations meet regularly to oversee the activities of the following working groups:
Joint Implementation Measurement Data Analysis Team (JIMDAT)
- Manages the CAST Safety Portfolio.
- Monitors the implementation and effectiveness of deployed CAST safety enhancements.
- Recommends modifications and changes to CAST’s safety portfolio.
Joint Safety Analysis Teams (JSAT)
- Perform in-depth analysis of particular safety issues.
- Examine the sequence of events leading up to each studied event, then identify ways to mitigate potential precursors and contributing factors.
- Evaluate intervention strategies for their potential effectiveness.
Joint Safety Implementation Teams (JSIT)
- Determine the feasibility of the intervention strategies identified by the JSATs.
- Develop and recommend detailed plans of action for industry and Government to implement the recommended safety enhancements based on those interventions with the highest effectiveness and feasibility.
- In conjunction with ASIAS, identifies gaps and emerging risks as well as additional areas of study.
Joint Safety Analysis and Implementation Teams (JSAIT)
- Performs the work of both a JSAT and a JSIT, including in-depth analysis and evaluation as well as development of action plans and recommendations.